Shower caddy

ABSTRACT

A shower caddy for holding bath accessories includes a frame, a portion of which is configured to engage the neck of a shower head. A holding element is connected to the frame and the holding element includes a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom wall forming a cavity having an open top. The side walls angle inwardly from the open top to the bottom wall.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/262,120 filed Jan. 16, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of bath utility accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shower caddy which is capable of holding bottles, such as shampoo and conditioner bottles, in both an upright and inverted position.

[0003] There are presently available a wide variety of structures and assemblies used to store personal care products, particularly in baths and showers. Many such bath and shower structures, often referred to as shower caddies, are constructed from rigid, wire-like segments. Alternatively, the shower caddies are made from molded plastic. When made from wire material, the wire segments may be covered with a protective material, such as plastic, to shield against the effects of moisture. Typically, the wire segments are shaped to form shelves, compartments, hooks, etc. where shampoo and conditioner bottles, soap, razors, wash cloths, and other related items may be stored.

[0004] In order to enable the shower caddies to be conveniently placed within the shower, it is common for shower caddies to be provided with a generally inverted U-shaped portion which may be received by the neck of a shower head. The U-shaped portion of these caddies define a relatively reduced throat area. Thus, the U-shaped portion may cooperate with the neck of the shower head to resist both longitudinal and rotational movement that might arise when articles are placed on the shower caddy in an off-center position. By mounting the shower caddy on the neck of the shower head, the occupant of the shower has quick and convenient access to his or her personal care products.

[0005] Other storage caddies may be mounted directly to the wall or other surface of the shower stall by use of suitable devices, such as suction cups and/or adhesive supports. Yet others may be free-standing. Most shower caddies, regardless of their mounting means and placement, include a shelf or support surface for shampoo and conditioner bottles. Typically, the shelf or support surface is perpendicular to the vertical sidewalls of the shower. A retaining member is generally provided at an elevation above the shelf or support surface to help keep the articles supported thereon from falling. Such shelves and retaining members adequately retain the bottles when in an upright position.

[0006] However, it is often desirable to place a shampoo or conditioner bottle in an inverted position. For example, when the bottle is in an upright position and in a near-empty condition, the liquid contained therein, i.e., shampoo and/or conditioner, becomes settled near the bottom of the bottle. Because of the relatively high viscosities of materials such as shampoo and conditioner, it is difficult to maintain a flow of the liquid toward the opening or discharge valve located at the top of the bottle. In addition, the gravitational head is decreased due to the decreased volume of liquid. Thus, when a near empty bottle has been in an upright position for an extended period of time, considerable effort must be set forth in order to achieve a flow of liquid from the discharge valve of the bottle. This has led many people to place their shampoo and conditioner bottles in an inverted position when the bottles are near empty. When inverted, the liquid within the bottles will slowly gravitate toward the discharge valve where it can be obtained in minimal time and with minimal effort.

[0007] Since conventional shampoo and conditioner bottles have a cap or spout which is relatively small when compared to the body of the bottle, it is difficult to balance the bottles on their cap when the bottles are placed in an inverted position. In such a position, the bottles are rather unstable and have a tendency to fall. Attempts to provide shower caddies which enable a shampoo or conditioner bottle to be placed in either an upright or inverted position have not proven successful.

[0008] Accordingly, a need exists in the art to provide a shower caddy which provides an easy and effective means for allowing shampoo and conditioner bottles and other related bottled items to be placed in either an upright or inverted position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a shower caddy for holding bath accessories is provided. The shower caddy includes a frame with a portion configured to engage the neck of a shower head. A holding element is connected to the frame and the holding element includes a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom wall forming a cavity with an open top. The side walls angle inwardly from the open top to the bottom wall.

[0010] In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a shower caddy for holding bath accessories is provided. The shower caddy includes a frame having two legs, each of the legs including an angled portion. The legs are interconnected to form a shape to engage the neck of a shower head. A holding element connects to the legs and the holding element includes a front wall and an opposing rear wall, a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, and a bottom wall. The walls are interconnected to form a cavity having an open top, wherein the horizontal surface area of the bottom wall is smaller than the surface area of a horizontal cross section of the open top.

[0011] In yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a holding element for a shower caddy is provided. The holding element includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall and a bottom wall. The front wall, rear wall, first side wall, second side wall and bottom wall are interconnected to form a cavity having an open top. The side walls angle inwardly from the open top to the bottom wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention may take form in certain components and structures, preferred embodiments of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a shower caddy in accordance with the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the shower caddy of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a holding element of the shower caddy of FIG. 1; and

[0016]FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a holding element of a shower caddy in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIG. 1 shows a shower caddy 10 in accordance with the present invention. Although the shower caddy 10 shown is made from a plurality of wire segments, it must be appreciated that other materials may be used, such as polymer coated wire or molded plastic. For example, molded plastic panels or molded plastic segments may be used.

[0018] The shower caddy 10 includes a frame 12 comprising a first leg 14 and a second leg 16. The first leg 14 includes a first end 18 and the second leg 16 includes a first end 22. While reference herein will be made to a frame 12 having two legs 14, 16, the frame 12 may take other configurations, such as a single leg, more than two legs, a grid, a sheet with or without apertures, or a geometrically shaped panel.

[0019] The first end 18 of the first leg 14 and the first end 22 of the second leg 16 are interconnected to form a generally inverted U-shaped portion 24 which is configured to be fitted around the neck of an associated shower head (not shown). The U-shaped portion 24 may be flexible and dimensioned to resiliently grip the neck of the shower head so as to prevent both rotational and longitudinal movement of the shower caddy 10.

[0020] The first leg 14 also includes a second end 26 and the second leg 16 includes a second end 28. The first leg 14 may include an angled portion 32 and the second leg 16 may include an angled portion 34, both of which extend from the U-shaped portion 24 of the frame. As a result, the distance between the legs 14, 16 at the U-shaped portion 24 is less than the distance between the legs 14,16 at their respective second ends 26, 28. The legs 14,16 may terminate at the second ends 26, 28 in a linear manner or may bend outwardly 90° before terminating to form a hook for hanging items such as washcloths, sponges, etc. In addition, the second ends 26, 28 may bend inward, i.e., toward one another and may be interconnected.

[0021] With reference also to FIG. 2, a first shelf 36 includes a rear edge 38 that is connected to the first and second legs 14, 16 of the frame 12. The first shelf 36 extends outward from the first and second legs 14,16 of the frame 12 in a perpendicular manner. The first shelf 36 may include a first lip or angled portion 42 and a second lip or angled portion 44, which are interconnected by a generally horizontal intermediate portion 46. The intermediate portion 46 is configured to hold shower related articles, such as soap, razors, washcloths, and the like. The first angled portion 42 and the second angled portion 44 extend upwardly to help prevent articles placed on the intermediate portion 46 from falling off.

[0022] A third lip or upwardly angled portion (not shown) may extend along a front edge 47 of the intermediate portion 46 to provide increased resistance to any tendency of articles to fall off of the intermediate portion 46. The first shelf 36 is preferably made from spaced segments, such as spaced wire or spaced plastic, or perforated materials, so that water does not accumulate and is able to pass through the shelf 36.

[0023] A second shelf 48 may be provided at a location below or above the first shelf 36 extending from the first and second legs 14,16 of the frame 12 in a manner similar to the first shelf 36. The second shelf 48 may be similar to the first shelf 36 or it may be of a different configuration. For example, the second shelf 48 may include a horizontal portion similar to the intermediate portion 46 of the first shelf 36 with any combination of the lips 42, 44 and 47, or none of the lips 42, 44 and 47. Additional shelves similar to the first shelf 36 and the second shelf 48 may be included.

[0024] With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the shower caddy also includes a holding element or carriage 50 for containing bottles of items such as shampoo, conditioner, bath gels, lotions, and other viscous materials that may be contained in bottle-type devices. The holding element 50 includes a front wall 54 and a rear wall 56 that extend opposite to one another. The rear wall 56 of the holding element 50 may be connected to the first and second legs 14,16 of the frame 12. Alternatively, a portion of the first and second legs 14,16 of the frame 12 may be configured to be an integral part of the rear wall 56. A first side wall 58 and a second side wall 60 extend opposite one another and connect to the front wall 54 and the rear wall 56. A bottom wall 62 extends across the bottom edges of the front wall 54, the rear wall 56, the first side wall 58 and the second side wall 60. The front wall 54, the rear wall 56, the side walls 58, 60 and the bottom wall 62 cooperate to form a cavity 63 with an open top 64.

[0025] The holding element 50 may be made from a plurality of horizontal wire segments 65. The wire segments 65 may be polymer coated. The holding element 50 may also be made from other suitable materials, such as molded plastic panels or molded plastic segments. If molded plastic panels are used, at least the bottom wall 62 may be provided with apertures to allow water to pass through rather than accumulate in the holding element 50.

[0026] Turning now to FIG. 3, the first and second side walls 58, 60 are angled in such a manner that they slant inwardly as they extend down from the open top 64 of the holding element 50 to the bottom wall 62. The side walls 58, 60 may be angled between forty five (45) and seventy (70) degrees relative to horizontal. More particularly, the side walls 58, 60 may be angled between sixty (60) and seventy (70) degrees relative to horizontal. However, any suitable angle is within the scope of the present invention. The opposed front and rear walls 54, 56 may be substantially vertical (referring back to FIG. 2). Alternatively, the front wall 54 may be angled in the same manner as the side walls 58, 60.

[0027] The holding element 50 is configured to hold at least one bottle 66 of shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, or similar viscous material 68. When the bottle 66 is in a near empty condition, it is placed in a substantially inverted position in the cavity 63, thus enabling the viscous material 68 contained therein to gravitate toward a discharge valve 70 of the bottle. The bottom wall 62 of the holding element may have a relatively small surface area as compared to the area of a horizontal cross section of the open top 64 of the holding element 50. Moreover, the bottom wall 62 may be of a width just sufficient to accommodate one or two upright bottles 66. The small surface area of the bottom wall 62 allows a bottle 66 to be placed in the holding element 50 and rest against at least one of the side walls 58, 60 and/or the front wall 54 in a tilted upright or tilted inverted position with minimal room to slide.

[0028] When a standard bottle of shampoo or conditioner 66 is placed within the cavity 63 of the holding element 50, the dimensions of the bottom wall and sidewalls may prevent the bottle from sliding past an angle of 45° relative to vertical. A standard shampoo or conditioner bottle 66 has a diameter of approximately 7.62-10.16 centimeters (3-4 inches). When additional bottles 66 are placed in the holding element 50, there is less room for the bottles 66 to slide. Thus, the bottles 66 are maintained at a larger angle relative to horizontal, increasing the flow of the viscous material 68 contained therein towards the discharge valve 70 for those bottles placed in a substantially inverted position.

[0029] Moreover, the surface area of the bottom wall 62 may be large enough to maintain only one standard shampoo or conditioner bottle 66 in an upright position. For example, the bottom wall 62 may be at least about 7 centimeters (cm) wide by about 7 cm long. Accordingly, when two or more bottles 66 are placed in the holding element 50, they may maintain a tilted position. As mentioned above, the side walls 58, 60 and/or the front wall 54 support the bottles 66 while they are in a tilted position. By resting the bottles 66 against the angled side walls 58, 60 and/or the front wall 54 of the holding element 50, the bottles 66 are securely maintained without falling over. Furthermore, with the bottles 66 maintained in a substantially inverted position, the viscous material 68 within the inverted bottles 66 is advantageously located at the discharge valve 70 regardless of how much liquid is left in the bottles.

[0030] Thus, the large, open top 64 of the holding element 50 and the angled side walls 58, 60 and/or the front wall 54, if it is angled, allow shampoo, conditioner, and other related bottles 66 to be placed easily and effectively in both an upright and an inverted position. This configuration also allows a user to conveniently access the articles held by the shower caddy 10. It is important to note that the shower caddy 10 may include more than one holding element 50.

[0031] Turning now to FIG. 4, one of the front wall 54, the first side wall 58 or second side wall 60 may define an aperture or window 72 which facilitates even easier access to the bath accessories contained in the holding element 50. The aperture 72 may be defined by a first side portion 74 and a second side portion 76 in the front wall 54 that are interconnected by a mid-portion 78. Alternatively, a plurality of apertures 72 may be present on a combination of walls 54, 58, 60. In addition, the aperture 72 may take other suitable configurations.

[0032] As mentioned above, the shower caddy 10 may be made from a variety of materials known in the art, such as wire, polymer coated wire, molded plastic panels, molded plastic segments, or combinations thereof. The innovative and efficient design of the shower caddy 10 allows it to be manufactured relatively easily and inexpensively.

[0033] The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 

Having thus described the invention, I claim:
 1. A shower caddy for holding bath accessories, comprising: a frame including a portion configured to engage the neck of a shower head; and a holding element connected to said frame, the holding element including a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom wall forming a cavity having an open top, wherein said side walls angle inwardly from said open top to said bottom wall.
 2. The shower caddy of claim 1, wherein said angle of said side walls is sixty (60) to seventy (70) degrees relative to horizontal.
 3. The shower caddy of claim 1, wherein said front wall angles inwardly from said open top to said bottom wall.
 4. The shower caddy of claim 1, wherein said bottom wall is of a surface area at least about 7 cm wide by about 7 cm long.
 5. The shower caddy of claim 1, wherein at least one of said side walls and said front wall defines an aperture.
 6. The shower caddy of claim 1, further comprising at least one shelf connected to said frame.
 7. The shower caddy of claim 6, wherein said at least one shelf includes at least one lip.
 8. The shower caddy of claim 1, wherein said caddy is made from one of wire and plastic and combinations thereof.
 9. A shower caddy for holding bath accessories, comprising: a frame including two legs, each of said legs including an angled portion and said legs being interconnected to form a shape to engage the neck of a shower head; and a holding element connected to said legs, the holding element including a front wall and an opposing rear wall, a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, and a bottom wall, said walls being interconnected to form a cavity with an open top, wherein the horizontal surface area of said bottom wall is smaller than the surface area of a horizontal cross section of said open top.
 10. The shower caddy of claim 9, wherein said first side wall and said second side wall angle inwardly from said open top to said bottom wall at an angle of sixty (60) to seventy (70) degrees relative to horizontal.
 11. The shower caddy of claim 9, wherein said bottom wall is of a surface area at least about 7 cm wide by about 7 cm long.
 12. The shower caddy of claim 9, wherein at least one of said first side wall, said second side wall and said front wall defines an aperture.
 13. The shower caddy of claim 9, further comprising at least one shelf connected to said legs.
 14. The shower caddy of claim 13, wherein said at least one shelf includes at least one lip.
 15. The shower caddy of claim 9, wherein said caddy is made from one of wire and plastic and combinations thereof.
 16. A holding element for a shower caddy, comprising: a front wall; a rear wall opposite said front wall; a first side wall; a second side wall opposite said first side wall; and a bottom wall, wherein said front wall, said rear wall, said first side wall, said second side wall and the bottom wall are interconnected to form a cavity with an open top, and said side walls angle inwardly from said open top to the bottom wall.
 17. The holding element of claim 16, wherein said angle of said first side wall and said second wall is forty five (45) to seventy (70) degrees relative to horizontal.
 18. The holding element of claim 16, wherein said front wall angles inwardly from said open top to said bottom wall.
 19. The holding element of claim 16, wherein said bottom wall is of a surface area at least about 7 cm wide by about 7 cm long.
 20. The holding element of claim 16, wherein at least one of said first side wall, said second side wall and said front wall defines an aperture. 